A joint press statement issued on Saturday at the end of the PM´s five-day India visit stated that request by Nepal for withdrawal of the ban would be considered after receiving specific proposals from Nepal.[break]
During the bilateral talks, Indian officials had also sought Nepal´s assurance for not letting the export of food grains imported from India to other countries as a pre-condition for removing ban.
Amid deepening food crisis due to failure of winter crops and maize production and estimation of sharp fall in paddy production, Nepal had proposed India to lift ban on exports of food grains to ease the supply of food in the market.
The government has estimated that the food deficit would touch 450,000 tons this year, due to fall in cereal crops production, following long spell of drought and late harvesting. Indian supplies contribute 40-50 percent of rice in Nepali market. About three dozen districts, mostly in mid and far western regions, are likely to face food deficit, according to government´s projection.
.According to the the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, production of wheat and barley -- key winter crops and major staple in hilly districts -- dropped by 14.5 and 17 percent respectively this year as compared to last year. Production of maize, another major cereal crop, is also expected to decline by 10-15 percent.
prabhakar@myrepublica.com
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